A U.S. boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics is under consideration

A boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing is on the table for the United States, State Department spokesman Ned Price suggested Tuesday.

The possibility has been looming for a while, given the tensions between the U.S. and China, but it's far from a foregone conclusion. Price clarified that Washington would prefer to boycott the game in tandem with its allies, so it seems unlikely there will be a unilateral move. "It is something that we certainly wish to discuss," Price told reporters. "A coordinated approach will be not only in our interest but also in the interest of our allies and partners."

Both the Trump and Biden administrations have accused China of committing genocide against ethnic minorities like the Uighurs in the northwest Xinjiang region, and the U.S. has also expressed concern about a crackdown on Hong Kong's autonomy and the risk of an invasion of Taiwan. Of course, the two sides are also engaged in a longstanding trade war that doesn't seem likely to end anytime soon and will certainly be a factor in whatever decision the U.S. makes.

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